Barking and Dagenham Planning Consultant
Riverside growth, Becontree streets, industrial land
Barking and Dagenham is one of the fastest-changing boroughs in London. A new Local Plan adopted in September 2024 plans for almost 39,000 homes, while the Thames riverside, Dagenham Dock and the Becontree estate each raise very different planning questions. Applications succeed when they speak the language of that plan, not a generic London template.
Cedar Planning's Chartered Town Planners prepare applications, prior approvals and representations for owners, landlords and developers across Barking, Dagenham, Chadwell Heath and the riverside.
- RTPI Chartered
- Fixed-fee quotations
- Direct advice from a Chartered Planner
How planning works in Barking and Dagenham
The development plan is the Barking and Dagenham Local Plan 2037, adopted at Assembly on 18 September 2024 after examination hearings in 2023. It covers 2020/21 to 2036/37 and sets a requirement of 38,864 new homes, with projected supply above 40,000, around 20,000 new jobs and 85 hectares of new parks and natural space.
The plan is organised around a strategic spine, from SPDG 1 on delivering growth through SP2 on the built environment and SP3 on homes, followed by seven area policies. SPP1 covers Barking and the River Roding, SPP2 the Thames Riverside, SPP3 Dagenham Dock and the Freeport, and SPP4 to SPP7 the older neighbourhoods of Chadwell Heath and Marks Gate, Dagenham East, Dagenham Heathway and Becontree, and Becontree Heath and Rush Green.
Development management policies follow a clear prefix system. DMD policies deal with design, DMH with housing, DME with employment and town centres, DMNE with the natural environment, DMSI with sustainable infrastructure and DMT with transport. Knowing which set an officer will reach for first saves a great deal of redesign.
Growth here sits within the London Riverside Opportunity Area in the London Plan. That brings strategic scrutiny of larger schemes against London Plan policies such as H1 on housing supply, D3 on the design-led approach and E4 to E7 on industrial land, as well as the borough's own tests.
A small HMO still needs permission here
A borough-wide Article 4 Direction, made in March 2011 and in force since 14 May 2012, removes the right to change a family house into a small HMO. Every C3 to C4 conversion in the borough therefore needs a planning application assessed against Policy DMH 5.
Planning issues particular to Barking and Dagenham
The former power station land has permission for around 10,800 homes. The Overground extension and station, opened on 18 July 2022, lifted the transport cap that had held early phases to about 1,200 homes.
The Thames Road Vision and Design Code, adopted as an SPD on 14 May 2025, guides around 3,500 homes mixed with industrial workspace, so schemes there are judged against a site-specific code.
Dagenham Dock and River Road are protected industrial locations. Policy DME 1 seeks more intensive use of employment land, and non-industrial uses face a high bar under London Plan E4 to E7.
Policy DMD 2 directs tall buildings to locations identified in the area policies, with heights guided place by place rather than a single borough-wide figure.
What we do for clients in Barking and Dagenham
Each instruction is scoped at the start and priced as a fixed-fee quotation.
HMO Planning
Applications to convert houses in Barking, Dagenham and Becontree to HMOs, which the borough-wide Article 4 makes necessary, argued against DMH 5, space standards and local concentration.
View serviceHouseholder Applications
Extensions and loft conversions on interwar Becontree and Rush Green homes, prepared around Policy DMD 5 and the cottage-estate character that officers expect to see respected.
View servicePlanning Applications
Infill homes, flats above shops and small mixed-use schemes, tested against the relevant area policy, DMH 1 affordable housing thresholds and DMT 2 parking.
View serviceClass MA Prior Approvals
Commercial to residential prior approvals, with early checks on whether the building sits in protected industrial land where residential use would conflict with London Plan policy.
View serviceFeasibility Studies
Appraisals of sites in Barking Town Centre, Castle Green or Chadwell Heath covering height, flood risk, industrial designations and the likely CIL and section 106 package.
View servicePlanning Objections
Reasoned objections for residents and businesses affected by neighbouring development, focused on the policies the council must apply rather than general concern.
View serviceThe detail behind Barking and Dagenham decisions
Design is led by Policy DMD 1 on high-quality design, with DMD 4 for heritage assets and archaeology and DMD 5 specifically for householder extensions and alterations. The borough has four conservation areas, so heritage work is less frequent than in inner London, but where it applies it is examined closely under London Plan HC1.
The council has charged its own Community Infrastructure Levy since 3 April 2015. Residential rates vary across three zones: Barking Town Centre, Leftley and Faircross; Barking Riverside; and the rest of the borough. Offices and several community uses are zero-rated. Mayoral CIL is collected on top, and Policy DMM 1 governs section 106 obligations.
Much of the riverside and parts of the Roding valley carry flood risk, so DMSI 6 and the sequential test often shape residential layouts. Urban greening under DMNE 2 and London Plan G5 is now a routine requirement on major schemes.
Policy areas we work with most
DMH 1 and DMH 2, read with London Plan H4 to H6, for any scheme of ten or more homes.
DMH 4 on purpose-built shared living and DMH 5 on HMOs, both frequently tested in Barking.
London Plan H2 support for small housing sites, balanced against local character and amenity.
DMT 1 to DMT 3 on connectivity, car parking and cycle parking, linked to public transport access.
A Consultancy That Works With You, For You
The 2037 plan is new, and officers are applying its area policies and design expectations with care. Advice matters most on HMOs, conversions near industrial land, and riverside or town-centre sites where height, flood risk and viability all interact.
Cedar Planning works across England, including London, from its Norfolk base, dealing with London boroughs and the Planning Inspectorate regularly. Site visits in Barking and Dagenham are arranged when a project needs one.
RTPI Chartered
Led by a Chartered member of the Royal Town Planning Institute with more than ten years of public and private-sector planning experience.
Honest Prospects
A realistic view of the planning risks and options before you commit time or money.
Fixed, Transparent Fees
Fixed-fee quotations agreed before work starts, so you know the cost from the outset.
Direct Access
You deal with the Chartered Planner doing the work, not an account manager.
Planning Consultants Across London
We cover every council area in London. See our main London planning consultants page.
Barking and Dagenham Planning FAQs
Which Local Plan does Barking and Dagenham use?
The Barking and Dagenham Local Plan 2037, adopted on 18 September 2024. It runs to 2036/37 and sits alongside the London Plan 2021, which also forms part of the development plan, so both sets of policies are weighed in every decision.
Do I need permission to rent my Dagenham house as a small HMO?
Yes. The Article 4 Direction covering the whole borough has been in force since May 2012, so a change from a family house to a small HMO needs planning permission. Licensing is a separate regime. Our Article 4 guide explains the difference.
How much CIL will my Barking scheme pay?
It depends on the use, floorspace and which of the three residential charging zones applies, with Barking Town Centre, Leftley and Faircross at the top. Mayoral CIL is added. We set out the likely liability during feasibility so it is not a surprise.
Can I build near Barking Riverside or Thames Road?
Often, but the tests are tighter. The Thames Riverside area policy SPP2 applies, and at Thames Road the adopted Vision and Design Code sets detailed expectations for layout, height and industrial reprovision. Flood risk must be addressed early.
Can I convert an industrial unit in Dagenham to flats?
Rarely, if it sits within Strategic Industrial Land such as Dagenham Dock or River Road. London Plan policy and DME 1 protect that capacity. Outside those areas, a prior approval or application may be possible, and we can test it first.
Get a Free Quote
Tell us what you are trying to achieve and where the property or site is. We will give you an initial view and a fixed-fee quote.
Or email us at info@cedarplanning.co.uk with the relevant information.
Tell us about your Barking or Dagenham project, book a free 15-minute call, or see our HMO planning and feasibility services.